Clothes brush



July 26, 1960 w. H. SLAUGHTER., JR 2,946,075

CLOTHES BRUSH Filed April 15, 1959 'L :f

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Wa/rer H. Slaughter, Jr.

IN VENTOR.

BY www HMW 'tYRiGaL-p United N States Panf I Patented ,July 26,1 leenI 2,946,0is; cLorHEs BRUSH brush to be extended or projected throughtheopenv end atwhiclntime fit .thenrbecomes -a handle... -For example, a

theDenms Patent 11,111,255.; An obviousobjective in the instanttmatter: is.-to./structurally, functionally and otherwiseimppove; en .th'ezDennis patent. andany similarly -cons tructed.-'and .performing projecti-ble-and retractible pocketsizebrushesrepresentative ofthe state of theart to whichv the invention lrelates. r

More specifically, the improvement herein presented is characterized by a hollow shell-like casing or sheath which is open atthelbottoml-:to allow the bristles of the extensible and retractible brush. to function asndesiired. 'The top wall of the casing'is'specially constructed so that `at least oledlalf Ipontion thereof is slotted.- Theslot serves toacommodatea foldinghandle.; said handle being vpivotally connected to the back of the brush and having novel construction so that'wherr the bruslilisretracted into the casing and handle is folded to one side, .it functions .as a retaining latch. O the other hand, when the handle is unlatched and properly positioned on its pivot or hinge connection with the brush-Ibiaczk, it constitutes an actuating member 'by way of which the brush can be conveniently projected or retracted, as the case may be.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention, the back, sometimes called the backing or, perhaps, even head is formed along the top edge with a groove. This groove is in turn provided at the center with a recess and one end of the actuating handle is hingedly mounted and is cooperable with the groove and recess. That is to say, at least one-half portion of the groove serves to allow the rib along the handle to fold into the groove. The extreme outer end of the handle has a fingergrip which is releasalbly latched to one end portion'of the casing or sheath when the handle is folded to an outof-the-way position. n

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative, but not restrictive, drawing.

i art v construction. would be. that -shown in.

` or pivoted onthe ibrush back .as at 42.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed 2 folded infull lines and with theoperat-ing handle swung to an actuatingposition in phantom lines.V Fig.V 2- is a side .elevation of the lbrush illustratedin Fig. 1 but Vshowing the hristlesprojected for practical use.

Fig.l 3 is a section on the vertical line 3,-3of Fig., 1-

jectible and retracti-ble brush. The brush comprises Aan.

elongated block-like back or body member. 8 which` is slidable freely in the hollow of fthek casing and which', is providedialong whatrmaybe called bottom edge 10 with bunches of brushing and'dusting bristles 12. Reverting to ther casing 6, this may be made from moldable com-- mercial plastics `of an appropriate grade and'color. In. the drawing the top of the casing comprises a substane tially, solid half-portion 14 at the left. The extreme innerA end of this half-.portion provides a shoulder `16as seen in Fig. 4. The edge of this shoulder has a cutaway clear` ance notch 18 therein as seen inFig. l. The righthandl end portion`(Fig'. 4) Vof the top wall has a central slot 22 formed therein and the lengthwise vmarginal edges "of". the `slot -are beveled' tovconverge downwardly asseenbet-,J- ter Vin Fig.l 3. This slot 22.0pens through the right'hand end` of the casing and the upper part ofthe righthand end'v is notched as at 24 to provide a shoulder 26. anda slightly convex friction-retaining surfaceZS.

vThe enclosed upper lengthwise `surface of the 'brush back 8 is provided with a lengthwise channel or groove 30 and the opposite ends ofthe groove open through opposite vertical end portions 312 of the back 8. Both half-por tions 34 of the groove are substantially rectangular in oross-section to accommodate the operating handle which I contemplate using. Actually, these half-portions ofthe channel 4or groove areso designated because the cen.- tral portion of the .backis provided with a substantially, semi-circularfrecess or welles at 36. This recess` andV grooved constructionV serves to accommodate the unique push-pullfand operating -handle which I` use. This handle comprises -a shank 38 andthe shank is provided at one end -with a lug-like hinging member 40 which is hinged. The head is of, a shape that it cooperates with the recess or well andv also operates through the clearance notch 18 without binding or jamming. The outer end of the shank of the push-pull handle is provided with a special purpose head 44 which is of general rectangular or block-like form and this head serves as a nger grip. The grip is so made that it cooperates .in size, shape and purpose with the other parts. That is to say, the shank 38 is such that it swings down into the slot 22 and has Ibevelled edges to cooperate with the bevels along the edges of the slot. The rib 39 (see Fig. 3) keys itself into the half-portion at the right of the recess in Fig. 1. The shank actually extends through and beyond the open end of this part of the slot so that the head or grip assumes the latchable position illustrated in the drawing. Actually, the head has overhanging end portions 46 which as shown in Fig. 4 abut the friction retaining surface 28 when the iinger grip is in the friction-lock orheld position see in Fig. 1. other words, this -nger grip swings down into the cutaway notch 24 which becomes a keeper and allows the finger grip to rest against the stop shoulder 26. It follows p that the push-pull handle which I now conveniently dignate `by the numeral 48 may assu-me the position seen in full lines and dotted lines respectively in Fig. 1. In full lines the bristleequipped brush has been retracted into' InA the receiver or hollow portion of the enclosing casing 6. Therefore, the grooved part of the block or back 8 is up against the underneath side of the wall 14 and wall portions 20. -The operating handle or lever 48 has been, folded to the right so that nowthe hingedlug ,40cm operates with the recess Ior well 36, theshank `38 rests in the slot 22 and the latching head -is in the vfrictionre-A tained-position as-shown being held therebywaymof a keeper notch and its components 26 and Z8. Assumenow. that one desires to Jbring the brush into use` andto extend the bristles to the position illustrated in Fig. 2'. Ihis is done by catching hold of the finger recesses 50 at the ends of the finger grip 48 and thenpushing'the grip up in the manner illustrated by the Aarc line A in Fig. 1. The user continues to` swing the lever or handle up until it strikes against the" edge 16.which then becomes a stop shoulder. Now,l the handle is in a position so that byholding the hollow sheath 6in one hand and pressing the brush out from the receiver, the, shank passes down through the hollow space of the casing until the overhanging end portions 46 of the finger grip 44 lodge themselves in the keeper notches or cutouts 52 illustrated `in Fig. 2 advan' tageously. The brush can be withdrawn and stored away in areverse manner.

It will be evident from the views of the` drawing taken in conjunction with the specification' that the concept has to do with a collapsible or extensible and retractible bristle-equipped brush and an enclosing casing or sheath therefor wherein the sheath becomes a handle when the brush is projected in the manner obvious in Fig. "2. Novelty is predicated on the grooved back Sgwiththe central recess or well 36 which construction serves to ac-4 commodate the hinged lug 40 and the fold-away shank with the novel hand grip `or head means 44 on the,` outer end thereof. More specically, novelty has to do with the latching notch 24 providing the cooperating surfaCS sheath or casing embodies transverse end walls 54, side walls 56 and is open at 58 at the bottom (considering the views of the drawing). Thetop wall is actuallymade up of the components 14 at the left which is one-halfthe length and the slotted half-portion Z at the right. The adjacent inner ends ofthe top wall portions 14 and 20 are spaced apart to provide registration with and` constitute portions of the side notches 52 in the upper central portions ofthe side walls which serve to lodge and accommodate the finger grip 48 when it is in the brush projecting and retaining position, illustrated in Fig. 2.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed. t

What is claimed as new is. as follows; v

1. A pocket-size apparel brush comprisinga hollow brush receiving and' enclosing sheathV having the additional function of a handle, saidisheath having side walls,

' end walls, and a top wall and being open at the bottom,

said top wall having an'imperforate half-portion and a complemental half-portion provided centrally with a lengthwise slot, said slot being open at its ends, a projectible, and retractible brush .having Va backtelescoping and sliding in the hollow portion of the sheath and provided along the bottom with extensible and retractible bristles, and a brush operating and latching handle having an end portion hingedly connected to a median portion of said back, and a shank portion registrable and cooperable with the aforementioned slot, the longitudinaledges of saidslot being beveled, the shankofsaidhrush having corresponding bevels matching and cooperatingwi'th `the lirst named bevels, said back being provded'with'a groove opening through at least one ed of the back, said groove V being adapted to accommodate a keying rib'ands`ai`d shank being provided along one side with a keying-rib which is projectible through the slotfand adaptdt fold into said groove. f

2. The structure. defined in claim l and wherein said shank is provided at an buter end thereof with `an enlargement defining a head-like linger grip,said nger' grip cooperating, when the handle is folded, with the adjacent outer end portion of said slot, the adjacent upper end of the end wall of the sheath adjacent to said nger grip having a cutaway notch providing a friction-retaining keeper for said finger grip.

References Cited in the file of this patent i i UNITED STATES PATENTS v1,103,879 Hoffman July 14, 1914 2,674,001 Abrams et ai. Apes, 1954V AFoREIGN PArENrs l A 507,081 canada Nov. f9,"1954 

